High Noon
by Laces Kai
Summary: A one-shot from four perspectives. What happens one afternoon when Edward hears a thought he doesn't want to hear from someone close to him. Please note: Breaking Dawn Spoilers, please do not read if you haven't read BR.
1. This all seems vaguely familiar

High Noon 

A One-Shot based on the Twilight Series

**1. This all seems vaguely familiar…**

Jacob Black

_Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws. – Plato_

Well I wasn't exactly a good person, but I wouldn't really consider myself a bad person. Truthfully, I think I am not one to consider rules set in stone. To me they are more like guidelines. Ok, so I might have stolen that line from some pirate in a well recognize movie but when Johnny Depp has a point who am I to argue with him?

I followed some rules, disregarded others. I was pretty good most of the time about the rules that came to Nessie because well Edward could read my mind and he was not nice when he was angry. The bloodsucker, as I still playfully called him, was not easy or fun to deal with when he was angry. Not that his wife, and my best friend Bella was any better. It had been easy to stay on the good side of the over-protective moody first and only time parents, but Nessie was turning four this year and it was beginning to become increasing difficult to follow rules.

My life had become one sad science fiction movie, the kind that I might have walked out of because it was farther from the ends of the earth on realistic. But here I was, imprinted hopelessly to a girl who physically looked fourteen, actually was only about four, and mentally averaged to somewhere in-between the two ages. I shook my head because I tried not to think of how strange it all was. Instead I looked under a tree where the reason for my current predicament lay, my whole life was under that tree and I just smiled brightly at her.

Renesme Cullen was beautiful and we all had known she would be. I mean come on, combination of Bella who was more than a tad bit attractive when she was human and perfect super-model Cullen. The kid was bound to be something nice to look at and it didn't cease to amaze me how daily she seemed more radiant than the day before. I was busy staring at her golden curls shaping perfectly around her face before I noticed what she was doing.

"Nessie, what are you doing?" I asked already annoyed with the answer I knew was coming. Occasionally I surprised myself with how well I knew her, she changed so constantly still that it was hard to keep up. But Bella had often pointed out that I was one of the most perceptive people she had ever met.

"I was going to put on my gear, I wanted to try riding for a little while before I have to be home." She tossed her hair gently at me.

This is where the rules came into play and why it had become increasing difficult recently. The problem laid in the fact that Nessie was no longer a child, nor was she an adult yet but a thriving rebellious teenager. Edward and Bella had realized a few months ago that her attitude had changed, she was no longer a sweet innocent child and Carlisle had laughed when he pointed out that it was because it was time for them both to get a dose of their own medicine. Renesme was a teenager, and not just any teenager but the child of difficultly stubborn and dangerous magnet Bella and eternally moody seventeen-year-old Edward. Yes, Nessie was going to be a hand full. Currently she had become fixated with the idea of riding motorcycles, and I wasn't against it and not just because I rarely could deny her anything but, because I thought it might be fun.

Edward had expressly forbid the idea though when he had heard her thinking about it last week. But here she was getting ready to ride the motorcycle, and all I could do was laugh at how much this was Bella and Edward's own fault. I would let Edward know that, no matter how much he growled at me. If he hadn't left Bella many years before, if she hadn't been so dangerously broken that she sought danger then maybe there would be no motorcycle craze in their daughter. But I suppose that was our history, and maybe I should respect the Cullen's request to not let Nessie ride.

"Nessie your father didn't want you to ride." I sighed.

"But he said I could ride if you were driving. And it was too sunny for him to pick me up from school." She pouted. She was right of course. I had to pick her up today because of the sun. I laughed at her determination and I knew it would only be days before she convinced Bella to convince Edward to let her ride. I laughed at her and beckoned her to me.

Her smile lit up her whole face and I was painfully reminded of Bella again, of the years before. For a moment it was her eyes, pretending to smile at me, as I led her to her own destruction and I shuddered. I had changed, grown up in those years that Nessie had been born and grown before me. I wasn't as reckless as I once was, though I still wasn't as worrisome as Edward would like me to be when around his daughter.

"But I drive." I said instantly and Nessie nodded as she slipped her arm around mine, almost knowing what I had been thinking. Sometimes I believed the she had gained her father's ability to read minds, or that her own ability had been expanded and she hadn't told us because she wanted to keep it her secret. Carlisle had assure me that it was not very possible that she could do that, but he had swore to pay more attention just in case.

She had thrown her backpack unceremoniously onto the ground and I shook my head. Again a moment of deja vu washed over me, in a garage so many years ago with soda cans and a promise to be responsible for a few days a week and reckless in-between. Edward was going to kill me. I laughed again though and took off at all speed, weaving thru the trees around us. Nessie was showing me her thoughts as we rode, mostly just pictures of places she had seen that she wanted me to take her. We had done this many times before in the last three months, since she had started high school I think she realized there was more to the world than just her family and Forks.

I thought about what had led me to these unfamiliar woods as I accelerated, knowing how to entertain Nessie. Edward and Bella had delayed their entrance into Dartmouth for two years, while Nessie had grown a bit and they had some time to themselves. But the family had to move, because there was no way that Carlisle was going to pass as a man pushing near forty and he had hit 36 in Forks. So it was decided that the whole family would move and remodel the house that Edward had bought in New Hampshire. All the Cullen children were enrolled at Dartmouth as college students, and Carlisle was working at a local hospital and occasionally gave lectures at the University. Esme was even working in Hanover; apparently she had a knack for house design and loved working with colonial styles.

In this place is where last year Nessie had been enrolled into high school, to experience it for the first time, in an almost human manner as all of the family had insisted. The Cullens had also insisted, well mostly Bella had demanded and everyone had agreed that I should finish high school as well. I had been more able to refuse than Nessie though, because they were not my parents and she at least looked the part. I could no longer pass for high school student like the rest of them had for decades. At the end of that fight, Edward had suggested that Esme tutor me and that I earn my G.E. so that I might be able to get into the college that Nessie got into. Edward knew how to get to me it might have something to do with the guy's mind reading abilities.

I was pulled from my thoughts as I felt Nessie's phone vibrate in her pocket. I veered and headed back towards her books, I assumed it was time to go if someone was calling her. I was surprised when I stopped the bike to find that she had apparently turned off her phone.

"Ness who was on the phone?" I asked curiously. She leaned into my back and I could feel her smile, she was going to try to be sneaky. I knew what was coming, she touched me and I could see her thoughts in my mind.

I recognized that it was the day before; I had been out working because I was insisting on trying to make my keep with the Cullen's. So I worked on and off doing day work with construction companies, until I got my degree or at least that is what I had promise Esme. Edward had picked Nessie up from school, she had hung out at a nearby coffee shop until it was dark enough for him to come and get her. I felt a pang of guilt, leaving her alone for the afternoon when I knew she was fighting with her friends, but she didn't give me enough time to dwell about her loneliness. Her thoughts moved to showing me the next moment in her memory. While in the car, Edward had discovered that she had failed an English Literature exam and was a little less than pleased. I laughed as Nessie showed me that she had known all the answers, because she had studied for the exam but she had fallen asleep during class and didn't actually answer any of the questions. It seemed that Edward also saw that his daughter had fallen asleep and her dream state is why she had failed. Unfortunately it seemed that Nessie had been staying up to late, possibly staying out to late with me. Edward, being high strung and all felt it was inexcusable to fail in her first and possibly only attempt at high school. Edward of course had insisted that she be home early from school for the week and threatened to institute a bedtime if she didn't begin to act more responsibly towards her schoolwork. That is why the phone had vibrated.

"You were already supposed to be home?" I asked. She giggled and kept leaning into me. Yes she was trying to be cunning because I wouldn't want to move from here either while she was holding onto me so tightly. It was strange because she was almost a normal temperature unlike the rest of the vampires. She was so different and still the same, but her hands were not like the ice that burned occasionally when Bella or Esme hugged me. I mused that together we would average to the "normal" temperature that a human being should be, but who really wanted to be human anyway?

"Do you want him to kill me?" I asked.

"Daddy won't hurt you." She said calmly. I laughed again, if only she knew how many times Edward had wanted to kill me.

"Your mom might." I responded. She shuddered and I knew that there was no denying that Bella might kill me.

"He is being unfair." She stated. I laughed again, Edward understood unfair.

"You are never going to get anywhere with that argument." I shrugged.

"They are just going to watch me do homework until they go to class tonight." She groaned.

"Its more to make sure you do your homework." I corrected.

"I do it most of the time." She rolled her eyes as I stretched out a leg and hooked her book bag with my foot.

"Nessie you are worse than me at doing your homework." I grinned.

"You've been in high school longer than I have." She scrunched her nose at the words high school. Nessie often felt like high school was a waste of time, something her family denied. Moreover, Edward, Bella and Carlisle alike were sure that Nessie would physically outgrow the possibility of attending high school several times. It had made it final at that point because the Cullens were all about mortal experiences, living life and all that jazz.

"Well, let's see who finishes first?" I joked. The phone vibrated again and I knew that Edward was going to come looking for us soon.

"If we don't get back before their class starts you are going to get yourself grounded." I laughed. "And then what am I going to do with my time?"

"Build me a motorcycle, besides they have never grounded me." She shrugged. I laughed at her determination again; yes Nessie was a hand full. As she wrapped her arms around me, I took off at full speed on the bike again. It was amazing some of the things that I had built into this bike, the brakes were particularly handy and I laughed at the reason I had picked the top quality parts. Bella had also been a hand full, and shouldn't have been allowed near anything remotely dangerous.

We reached the house in no time and it was unnerving how much I felt like this was home. Here in the mist of woods that my people were probably driven from centuries ago, deserted to the rest of the world stood the Cullen household. This house didn't look much like the home that had been left in Forks.

I hit the brakes as we reached the beginning of the wooden stairs that led to the ancient looking porch that wrapped around the house. Sitting on the porch swing Edward and Bella looked down to us and I could see the familiar anger. There were going to be more rules to break, they were going to be presented in a second. I grinned knowing I was up for the challenge.

I knew that I would be that bad person finding a way around them, if any of them made my girl unhappy. I knew it and they knew it, but they also knew that my concern for her wellbeing did not just extend to making her happy. If the rules were acceptable, if they were for her own good than maybe I would be able to be the good person who didn't need rules. I wondered for a second if Plato had ever been in love.

I hopped off the motorcycle and grabbed her book bag from her so she wouldn't have to carry it. I didn't offer her my hand to help her down, and I felt Edward glower at me from behind. He was always one for manners, I sighed, already started on the wrong foot with him today.

"Yes." He responded to me before I said anything. God I hated that he could hear everything that I thought, years now and I still hadn't gotten use to Edward being in my mind all the time.

"You should be." He growled again. I shook my head. Keep clear thoughts I chanted to myself. But before I could really clear my head the shouting began.

"A motorcycle. Absolutely not. Aren't you in enough trouble?" Edward demanded. I glared at Nessie; she did that sometimes on purpose. Sometimes I believe she got pleasure out of how much she could upset her father, and even her mother.

"Edward, calm down." Bella whispered softly. If I weren't already use to how quietly she sometimes spoke to him, I would have not even noticed the words. It's just a motorcycle Edward, Bella rode one too.

"Yes, and you were almost the death of my wife. So forgive me, if I prefer that my daughter doesn't also go thru her rebellious phase with you, who knows what kind of cliff she might jump off of." Edward growled at me and my mind wandered to that memory of pulling Bella out of the currents, half dead. Edward and I both shuddered at the memory; no Nessie wasn't going to jump off a cliff Edward. I wouldn't let that happen, I thought and he nodded curtly at me knowing I was sincere.

"Renesme, didn't your father ask you to be home early?" Bella asked. Her voice was the steady song, the melody it had turned when her heart stopped beating. Sometimes I caught myself listening to her old voice in my head, only sometimes, today was not one of those times.

"I lost track of time." Nessie responded.

"Jacob?" Bella questioned me. I grinned at her warmly, and I felt the familiar presence of Nessie's fingers intertwining themselves in mine while we stood there being looked down on by my friends, by her parents.

"I didn't know." I shrugged sheepishly, but at least it was the truth. Edward sighed.

"Yes, she didn't tell him." I think I saw Edward roll his eyes at that fact. A failed test man, like you never failed a test. I thought.

"I haven't." He shrugged.

"Are you two talking about me?" Nessie demanded.

"Not the entire world revolves around you princess." Edward gave her that stupid smile he gave Bella all the time. At the word princess Nessie knew she had been forgiven for arriving late.

"I don't have to be home early anymore?" She asked hopeful.

"That's not what he said." Bella took a warning tone.

"But…" She started.

"You sleep little one, which means you must get enough sleep to be awake for class. It's a responsibility thing." Bella soothed her only child. "If you can't manage to go to bed at a decent hour on your own, we have to help you along."

"I don't want to be responsible." Nessie grumbled.

"Better reason to teach you the trait. I expect most of your homework finished before we must go to class." Edward swooped his hand motioning for her to go inside and then catching the door and holding it open.

"This is what manners looks like Jake, I think we might need to start on those lessons as well." Edward grumbled at me, but he was smiling and I knew he didn't mean much by it. He was just more old-fashioned than I was and he knew there was little point in trying to change me at this point. Bella floated along behind us as Rosalie ran to Nessie's side.

"Edward wasn't too mean was he?" Rose petted her head.

"Blondie, no one is as mean as you are." I laughed.

"This was probably your fault Dog." Rose snapped back at me playful. We didn't love each other, exactly, but I don't think we hated each other either. I actually think Rose would miss me if I left now. She constantly spoiled Nessie, and sometimes we would stay up late at night coming up with perfect presents for our girl.

"Rosalie, stop spoiling the child." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, something he only did when exasperated I had noticed.

"Aunt Rose," Nessie started but Edward cut her off.

"Not tonight Renesme." He said sternly and Nessie frowned at him.

"Better listen to him Nessie. He won't budge much tonight." Alice laughed. Alice was sitting on the other side of the room, playing some new game that her and Jasper had found. Jasper seemed to be beating her which was a first, I was curious as to how the game was played. It must require little thought and forethought because if Alice couldn't see how to keep herself in the lead.

"She's probably cheating." Jasper laughed, probably feeling my perplexity.

"Jake, I made dinner for you. And don't forget to take that exam I left on the kitchen counter for you." Esme shouted from up the stairs, vampires had annoyingly good hearing and memories.

"Yes." I said and quickly added, "Ma'am." When I saw Edward's disapproving scowl.

"I am going to go eat and do my own work, try not to get into too much trouble with your folks while I'm gone." I whispered to Nessie, though I knew everyone in the room could hear me. I think I even heard Emmett stifling a laugh, and mumble something under his breath.

I walked into the kitchen, following the strong scent of the dinner that Esme had made me. She was into making Chinese cuisine lately, and I wasn't going to lie she was pretty much amazing at it. I sat down at the table, where my plate was set up next to a stack of papers that were my exam a pen and a little note. Esme was entirely too motherly.

I picked up the fork and skimmed the note before even looking at the exam.

_Jake - _

_Remember you have to do well on this test, so focus. _

Focus, right I was suppose to just sit here quietly like a good boy. Eating a dinner made by a vampire mother hen in a kitchen that was only used for my benefit. Focus, when all I could think about was the series of new places that Nessie had shown me she wanted to go. I would have to have a serious discussion with Bella, or maybe Rose soon about how best to present the idea of me taking Nessie anywhere to Edward. I knew we would have to wait until after she was fully developed at least, though I was suspecting we might have to wait a bit longer than that before they were ready to let her go. It definitely was Rose that I should go to with, as I don't think that Bella would accept it readily either. Rosalie though would want Nessie to experience everything and anything she wanted even if it was with me and away from them. There were places that the girl wanted to go that had far too much sun for her family.

I took some pleasure in knowing that Nessie was finally growing up, I didn't know how Embry was handling being so hopeless for a now six year old. Nessie had only been six for about three weeks, well maybe longer but it wasn't long. I only had to play dress up and tea party so many times before she was past that stage in life. Maybe this was how imprinting worked, a little like love at first sight, but more like the world knew what kind of girl I needed. Someone like Bella Swan, someone so beautiful, so smart, so unbelievably strong that she could be reckless and quicker than I could have hoped for. I was never good at patience, so maybe the world had dealt me the right card because Renesme Cullen was never going to be boring.

I sighed, focus, I had to finish this exam before Nessie finished her homework. I also heard fighting and I had a slight fascination with watching the vampire brothers playful fight with each other. It was like pay-per- view fights, but so much better. And sometimes I would get to try at Emmett, I had yet to win but one of these days that big brute was going to have a bad day.


	2. Moment's Slip Up

2**. Moment's Slip – Up**

Renesme Cullen

_For we pay a price for everything we get or take in this world; and although ambitions are well worth having, they are not to be cheaply won, but exact their dues of work and self-denial, anxiety and discouragement. –Anne of Green Gables_

The living room of my home was extravagant to say the least I suppose, but it was comfortable and familiar and I loved it. My grandmother and aunts had torn out the walls that had separated the sitting room and the parlors of the old house and created a large, airy and well lit family room but it still had that quaint Victorian style. There weren't as many windows in this house as our last, because there was a bit more sun in Hanover and we couldn't risk being seen in the sun in case visitors came unexpectedly. I sighed as I could feel my father watching my every movement in the room, I knew he wouldn't relax until I started my homework so I trudged towards the couch where my Aunt Rose beckoned me. I dropped my book bag onto the hand-craved wooden coffee table and fell into Rose's lap, ready for a nap.

I hated that I needed sleep; it was possibly what I wanted to blame for the root of my all my problems. My entire family didn't sleep and Jacob didn't need much sleep at all, it was such an injustice that I couldn't do everything they could. Everyone told me it was great, it made me more human and that is always what we were striving for but it still bothered me.

"Renesme you should get started." My mother sighed. I rolled my eyes. I grabbed the first notebook out of my backpack and snuggled into my aunt's side. She was running her hand thru my hair, petting me was one of her and my favorite pastimes. I flipped the notebook open dramatically to make sure that my parents heard that I was starting something.

"Come on Ed let's have a fair fighting match." I heard my uncle laugh. I knew he was trying to distract him from me, and by requesting a fair fight he would also be distracting my mother a bit.

"It is fair when I can read your mind Em." My father laughed. This was a familiar fight, Emmett thought it was unfair that my dad could react to moves before they were made and my dad thought it only fair to counter balance Emmett's sheer strength. Rarely did Emmett convince my father that it wasn't fair, and even a greater rarity did my mother agree to use her own skill to give Emmett the advantage.

"Bella, it would be such a nice birthday present." I felt Rosalie shake from laughter underneath me. Emmett had been trying to come up with a good excuse, and now days before his birthday he knew he might get his way.

"Low Em." My father mumbled. I peeked at my mother as she nodded curtly.

"But I won't be doing it the whole fight, I might let him see your thoughts sometimes. It's only fair of course." She giggled.

"That means you have to actually have strategy Em, not just brute force like is the usual plan." Jasper laughed. Emmett spat some response I didn't catch and then the fight began. I didn't really pay attention to it much as Rose had patted me gently reminding me to start my homework. I stared down at the page I had opened to and smiled, in the margin were notes that Jake had written while I had been sleeping last night. He did that sometimes, again annoying how he didn't need as much sleep as I did. I was starting to feel like I had been cursed with my humanity, much like my family thought they had been cursed with their inhumanity. I heard my father growl, and I couldn't be sure if it was at my current thoughts or at my uncle's punch. My father was entirely too focused on my humanity and sometimes I felt like it was more than just making sure I experienced everything but I didn't dwell on it much.

I looked over my notes in American history was a subject that held my interest only when we learned about time periods my family had been born into. I touched Rose's hand, sharing my thoughts about the civil war that had been taught in class. I wanted to know more about Jasper, particularly about what it had been like to be in the army at that time.

"I don't know much about that precious, you would have to ask Jasper." She responded.

"Ask me what?" Jasper looked up from his game.

"Nessie was just sharing what she had learned about the Civil War." Rose nodded towards me.

"You should really learn to use your words." Emmett growled, as he shifted his weight and went flying into my father.

My family was under the impression that I relayed too much on my talent. I had never really grown into talking. I rarely spoke if I could help it. I liked my way of talking better, but it wasn't human so I couldn't do it at school and I made up for that fact at home. It drove my uncle Emmett particularly crazy. Aunt Alice said it was something about him having to deal with her and my father's silent conversations for too long.

"I can help you with your history homework if it's on the civil war, I am currently writing a paper on governments that have been disbanded by civil unrest." Jasper shrugged. I shook my head I didn't want help, especially not from my Uncle Jasper who was getting his third Bachelor's degree in Government and Politics. I touched Rose's cheek again.

She nodded. "She says no thank you Jazz, apparently she thinks she should learn the material on her own something about responsibility."

"Nice try." My father laughed again, as he ducked the punch that Emmett was throwing at him. Apparently my mother had chosen that moment to let my father see what was coming. So again I couldn't be sure if he was responding to me or to Emmett.

"You really should speak out loud Renesme." My mother shouted over my now yelling relatives. It seemed that Emmett needed to roar his anger and Jasper had apparently just lost the game to Alice. I rolled my eyes. My enrollment into high school had been for several reasons my humanity only the first priority. My family had also wanted me to learn how to socialize better, having grown so quickly and so abnormally among my vampire family and shape shifting friends. Rosalie wished me to have human friends, if possible while Emmett hoped I learned to speak out loud. Carlisle and Esme wanted me to mature properly, like the rest of their perfect clan. Alice wanted me to want to have parties, and Jasper felt I would learn to blend more for the future. While my parents were concern with my humanity and their sanity, of being able to raise me even if it was just for a little while. I could sometimes see the worry in their eyes, about how I would turn out, as an adult with what they felt was such little time to nurture me.

I focused again on my notes and Jacob's scratchy writing filled my pages. I smiled as I read over his comments, something about the lack of trust I should have for the white man. Another notation about how I should pay better attention because the Civil War had ended in 1865 not in 1871 like I had written. Leave it to Jake to be smart about history something about the stories in it I suppose amused him. He did after all come from a tribe of shape shifting storytellers, a people of good memory as my father and grandfather had told me.

I created a timeline quickly, not my best work but nothing that wouldn't get me a passing grade either. That was all I really had to do was pass, well no not really all I had to do I cringed as I heard my father growl. I knew he had been listening to my thought just then, and he disagreed I had to do more than _just_ pass. I was after all learning the material for the first time and he expected me to actually learn it and try.

I promised mentally to work more on the timeline later and pushed it aside. I moved onto my literature class, I thought that might appease him a bit. He might be happy that I was dedicating more time to the only class I might actually be failing currently, the exam I had slept thru had been worth a third of my grade so I was going to have to work to regain ground.

"You had better hope that you get a high grade in that class young lady." I heard him commanded as he shoved Emmett off of him.

"Mom!" I shouted.

"Edward, leave the child be. I am going to shield her if you can't stop listening." My mother shook her head. We both knew he couldn't help himself, it was natural, and he was usually very focused on my thoughts. I turned my attention back to the Literature homework. We were reading a new novel All Quiet on the Western Front a novel about the Great War, the war of my father's youth.

I quickly did the worksheet on background information on the causes and reactions of the First World War. I was filling out a question about how many youth were lost when I stole a glance at my father. His head was locked in Emmett's strong arms and I had to laugh at the scene that didn't alarm me. The Great War had been my father's time period, Edward Masen had been born back in 1901 and he had grown up wanting to go to war. That was all he ever really told me, I had been assured by Carlisle that it was because he didn't remember anything else but it frustrated me. I wanted to know more about my father before now, before this, before he had become Edward Cullen. Not that I didn't love Edward Cullen, my father was wonderful but sometimes I wanted to know what he was like when he wasn't so close to perfect. I also wanted to know more about when he fell in love with my mother, but hardly ever did anyone talk about it. Even my Jake would barely tell me the story; he often said it was too soon to uncover some of the wounds that had been left behind by the beginning of their love story.

I sighed, thinking about asking Rosalie but I had so many times before and she just shook her head and almost got angry with me for asking. I say almost because most of the time, I think she just shot some insult at my father and he usually just looked over at me with concern painted on his face. I heard someone jump and looked up to see that Jasper had decided to join the fight.

"You are doing it all wrong Em." Jasper commented as he landed on my father's back. I laughed as Esme's voice carried down the stairs.

"Careful Boys."

Alice floated to my mother where she sat down carefully and clasped both my mother's hands in hers like a picture out of a book. Girls about to share secrets, desires, and hopes like the bosom friends they were. I groaned and Rosalie looked down at me worried. I touched her cheek and let her see my thoughts again I rarely kept anything from Rose.

I flickered a few dozen Norman Rockwell paintings in my mind, each associated to the perfect American family and then I showed her several memories of my family. It was almost nauseating how perfect my family fit into each one of those stereotypes. They were happy and loving, beautiful and intelligent. I looked around the room and let Rosalie see my thoughts about everyone. Alice and my mother the best of friends, delicate and lady like and well schooled in arts and literature. Alice was currently studying Italian and Fashion Design at Dartmouth and she was chatting about the splendid things they were doing with "green materials." My mother sat with a book open in front of her, as she also listened to Alice. She was studying classical literature with my father, possibly also why they had been disappointed in my present failing grade. I moved my gaze to my father and his brothers, all perfect men and boys frozen in time. Emmett was the bran of the group, strength and humor in one confidently large package. Em was the well-humored, physically over-protective older brother. While Jasper was smaller, much more controlled and graceful in his Southern gentleman style. He was the brain of the band of brothers. He was often times quiet and thoughtful, thinking more about the moves than Emmett or even my father ever did. He was the constant mediator, between moods and fights for Edward and Emmett the perfect middle brother. And then my father, the baby of the group, with his moody patience and unbelievable talents in the arts was the perfect youngest brother. Edward was the heart, of the boys and of the family, his happiness was often what control the rest of the group it was incredible sometimes.

I looked at Rosalie then, and shared my thoughts on her beauty. I knew they would please her, and I watched her smile as she saw that I thought her the ideal woman. I moved to the unseen Esme upstairs, fretting over her children and her family a classic mother hen. And then I quickly moved to Carlisle, who we all heard arriving in the garage. The very definition of father could not even describe Carlisle well and I knew it so I just let me thoughts wander to all of his interactions with his family to prove my point. They were the perfect family and they would never admit it, or even know it.

"But we're vampires." Rosalie said sadly. That one statement might be why none of my family might ever see how truly perfect they really were. It was as if that one fact turned them all into monsters. Though I never really understood the notion, and I was taught to believe by my grandfather and even by my parents that we were all still capable of good and arriving to heaven one day. My parents had made it clear that I was different, different than them because I had been born into this life, and God could not refuse love to one of his children no matter who the parents had been. I let out a frustrated sigh as I took my hand back and Rosalie held me close to her murmuring into my ear. She was telling me I was different and to accept that my fate was different than there own, that I got to be more human for them. I knew how she felt, it had always been the same with any of them when I tried to tell them how perfect and good they truly were they dismissed me with the word vampires.

I felt heat in the room suddenly and I looked up to Jacob. Jacob Black was the only person who didn't dismiss me with talk of being undead and untouchable. He wasn't a vampire, he wasn't even sure that he believed that my family was truly vampires either. He thought highly of my family, he valued their experience and their self-control was something he admired daily. He agreed that they were the best of the best and told me not to worry that one day they were sure to see that themselves.

I watched him stumble across the room, trying not to get in Emmett's way as he came crashing onto the ground and Edward and Jasper stood above him snorting with laughter. Jake was one of the things in the world I loved the most and he was like my own personal sunshine that didn't hurt my family. He brought the warmth of the sun, the power of its healing, and the energy of it in his body and in his smile. He, unlike the sun, didn't make my uncles or my father twitch because their bodies glimmer like stone. He smiled smugly at me and I knew he was thinking about how he had finished his exam before I had finished my homework. He jumped over the bit of couch I was on in one leap and landed at my feet, Jacob was never far from me for very long and I had missed his warmth.

"You haven't finished?" He snickered. I stuck my tongue out at him and looked over the two assignments I had already done.

"I only have one more thing left." I playfully pushed at him with my foot, and felt his body curve to engulf my toes. It was a good thing we were equally as strong, I had heard how he had once almost broken my mother when she was human.

"What is it?" He asked, genuinely wanting to know more about my day. I laughed.

"Health." He laughed at this point too. We both knew that it was a pointless class for me to take. My body and my health was nothing like what they taught in that class, my heart beating faster than any human would consider good and well that was as normal as I got.

"You also look normal, possibly too average all together." Jake laughed. I kicked at him again, knowing that I had shown him my thoughts when I had touched his hand. I often showed Jacob my thoughts without meaning to, or noticing. Especially lately, I sought his touch so much that it was almost natural to share all my thoughts with him. I held his hand as I looked over my health book, reading the chapter that I had been assigned. It was hard to concentrate as I felt Jacob's heart beat so much slower than my own, but it was like our heartbeats formed their own symphony just for me. I stared at his fingers in mine, his color was so much darker than mine but again we formed something different. It was like Jacob Black and I existed as our own flavor and I was exhilarated by it. I tried to read another sentence, but again caught myself looking at his face.

He winked at me, when he saw my eyes shift from my work again. I knew he was enjoying my lack of focus, it proved his point that I didn't do homework well. He was concentrating on the fight though, that was still raging despite the fact that it looked like now both Emmett and Jasper were going to lose as my mother wasn't paying enough attention to save them from my father.

I forced myself to focus on what I was reading now. The chapter was on human sex organs as I read about the functions of the reproductive organs I found myself again staring at Jacob. I slowly moved my fingers from his and started moving them along his arm, feeling his strength in each of his muscles. I moved away from Rosalie to curl more into his body. I felt her flinch a bit as I choose the "dog" as she usually called him over her, but she had been getting better about letting me love him. Honestly I had only recently noticed that I might love him. I pushed my way into his arms, where he instinctively let me bury myself under his arm that held my waist carefully but he never moved his eyes from the fight. I played with my fingers on his chest and I found myself wondering what it might be like to kiss him. Jacob had kissed me on the forehead often times, usually before I went to bed. I had kissed him on the cheek in greetings or farewells several times as well, but never had we really kissed. I had known from the moment that I was born that Jacob Black had been born to love me, and I always knew that I loved him back but it had been different before this moment. I realized that I sudden knew that I had grown and I was different like everyone said.

As I held my book open to the page I had just been reading, I read the sentence that was a textbook definition of sex. I wondered what sex was really like and decided it couldn't be as boring as this book made it sound. Besides nothing I ever did with Jacob was boring.

The window shattering behind me interrupted my thoughts and I looked up startled. Jacob gripped me harder, like he sensed danger coming our way. I saw that it had been my father that had been thrown through the window, and now stood outside glowering an angry that seeped.

"The hostility can't be coming from losing Edward, you really must learn to lose. You are just as bad as Em." I heard Jasper groan as my father came flying back into the room. I couldn't concentrate on my father's anger as I felt Jacob's hand push my body closer to his and I fell back to my most recent thoughts. I pushed my hand against his chest to let him see what I was thinking.

I knew he was older than me and maybe he had experience with my questions. I caught myself showing him what I desired. How much I wanted to see him without his shirt on to feel his body press onto mine.

My thoughts got no further as Emmett's body came tumbling into the couch where we were sitting and an explosive "NO" rang from my father's body. I was again caught startled as Jake had picked me up and moved me from harm's way. Or possibly he had moved himself, and I just happened to go with him. Now when I looked my father I couldn't miss the glowering anger that came from him was directed not at his brothers but at Jake, or at me? That was hard to tell.

Carlisle and Esme were in the room suddenly.

"Edward, son, what is wrong?" Carlisle asked calmly.

"Jesus Edward, I didn't know you could throw me that hard." Emmett was laughing from the ground, where he laid in the middle of the two broken sides of the couch with Rosalie sitting pretty in one of his hands.

"Sorry Esme." My father mumbled and everyone looked at him confused. " Emmett and I will install a window just like it tomorrow, and I'm sure Alice can find another couch."

Ah yes, the house. Esme was probably thinking some regret over the damage her boys had done. Jasper had moved closer to Edward, and I knew that he was trying to wash calmness over my father.

"Stop it Jasper." My father hissed. Jasper looked at him frowning.

"What is going on Ed?" He inspected the situation. "You really aren't usually this bad of a loser, and I had been almost certain you knew that we were going to aim you at that window."

My father was shaking his head and glaring at me, his golden eyes flickered with a bitterness and cold resentment that I had never seen before.

"No Jake." My father growled. Then I realized what was happening and I gasped.

"What is going on?" Emmett groaned as he lifted himself and Rose off the ground.

"Show your mother." My father said in a low demanding voice, the voice along with his scowl told me that objecting was not even an option. I pried myself away from Jacob who knew what was happening and by the way he was holding me, I felt like he knew more about what might happen than I did. I walked slowly towards my mother, at almost human speed knowing I was trying my father's patience.

"Edward?" Carlisle was whispering behind me. But he didn't answer him, just stared at me as I finally reached my mother. I tried to make my eyes look sad, forcing my face to show her my regret. Though I wasn't sure it was working because the regret was at being caught in the thought too close to my father, rather than for having the thought at all. The growling started again behind me and I sighed and held out my hand. My mother took it, her serene ash gold eyes starring into mine.

I gave her my thoughts, I debated censoring them from her but knew it was pointless as my father had seen them all and would make me try again if I left anything out. As I shared the thoughts I looked over my shoulder at my father, he was clenching his jaw and everyone else looked intently upon us.

"I had been so looking forward to the baseball game we were going to play on Friday." Alice sighed.

"What in heavens name are you talking about Alice?" Emmett snapped.

"There was going to be a thunderstorm on Friday." Jasper provided. My family was trying to distract themselves until one of my parents shared more information.

"Why aren't we going to play anymore?" Emmett asked now disappointed that the prospect of the game had been presented only to be taken away.

"I believe that Edward might be busy babysitting our dear niece. And if Edward doesn't play than Bella won't either, and we won't win and I wanted to win. You're sure you can't change your mind Edward, I wanted to win?" Alice asked her brother. I groaned, babysitting, great my parents weren't going to leave my side.

"Alice." My father moaned. My mother was glaring at Jake and I found myself amazed, how were my thoughts his fault.

"Edward!" My mother exclaimed and that's when I dropped my hand.

"Maybe we should discuss what is going on?" Carlisle stated annoyed at the prolonged silence.

"Renesme, why don't you go up to your room?" My mother suggested in an order type fashion.

"Rose you can go with her." Edward rolled his eyes at Rosalie. She seemed to be glaring at him, probably flinging insults at him for being so forceful with me. Not that I was sure how even Rosalie would take my current thoughts.

"What has happened Edward?" Rosalie scuffed. "Did she think about quitting school, why are you so classically dramatic about everything?"

"Rosalie, I am sure it is something far more concerning than that." Carlisle sighed. My father and my aunt stood eyeing each other, my father did not like Rose interfering and Rose thought he was too high strung.

"She wants to sleep with Jake." My mother stated calmly. "We would like a moment Rose, without her in the room."

I saw the fire flicker in my aunt's eyes now as she also turned to glare at Jake. Why was this his fault, I wandered again.

"It's just as much yours." My father whispered but he didn't look at me, he still focused on Rose.

"With the Dog?" She gasped.

"Really? We're all going to talk about this, how about I go up with Nessie?" Jacob asked stretching his arms towards me. Emmett moved in a blur and held the neck of Jake's shirt, holding him back.

"I don't think so Jake." Emmett growled. "Rose."

"Yes, come on then princess." Rosalie held her hand out towards me and I looked at my family's faces. I knew no one else would come to my rescue with Rose and Jake always being my first and last line of defense against everyone else. I took Rose's hand and let her drag me up the stairs. I took one last look at my picturesque family and focused on Emmett with his strong arm around Jacob.

"Emmett!" I called out. He looked up at me and I mouthed please don't hurt him, before Rose had me all the way upstairs.


	3. Anger

**3. Anger**

Edward

_He is mad that trust in the tameness of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love or a whore's oath. – William Shakespeare, King Lear_

I watched as the second greatest treasure in my life disappeared at the top of the stairs. Renesme was the second unexpected joy that had arrived in my life in over a hundred years, and she was proving to be just as difficult as the first surprise had been.

_She is so young. _Esme's mind echoed as she watched my only daughter, with eyes that I had only seen her have with me.

_It's too soon to cause this kind of trouble, with our luck she will be just like Bella. _Jasper was planning, because well that is what he did. In the years since Bella had joined us, Jasper had been less pained in life. It seemed that her happiness had a great effect on him; Carlisle had speculated that Bella had been the missing spirit to our family. She gave so much to everyone, even Rosalie that it was impossible to deny.

_Want me to kill him Bro? _Leave it to Emmett to make me smile, despite the situation. I shook my head at him, ever so slightly so he could see the movement.

_You are overreacting Edward; She didn't mean anything by it. Not like you never had those feelings. _I gritted my teeth at Jacob, it had been almost unbearable for him to be in love with my wife. I don't think I can describe what kind of feeling it was for him to have imprinted on my child, and for her to be so in love with him.

_I can't see anything. Well not much anyway Edward, so I would be careful. I am just starting to see them. You have to give me more time. Don't drive them away. _Alice warned. I sighed knowing Alice had just begun being able to see Jake and Nessie. It was something to do with how her ability was limited by what she had experienced herself. Over the last few years she was getting to know Jake, and his shape shifting family and Renesme to the point where she was starting to see their futures. It would be at least another decade, or that's what Carlisle and I thought would lead her to be able to see their future as clearly as she saw ours.

_We have to speak out loud Edward. _My father commanded. I knew he was right but I clenched my jaw again and felt my hands curl. I stared at Bella, the only thoughts I wanted to hear at the moment and still the thoughts that were hidden from me. She saw my despair and instantly, like someone had closed a door I could hear nothing. It was silent, except for the quick pace beating of Nessie's heart and the low murmur of Jacob's heart. I found myself aching a bit for Bella's heart beat and then yearning for the ability to hear her thoughts, to know her mind on the subject of our daughter. I stare at her eyes, and though I couldn't see her thoughts I knew her mind.

"Carlisle?" I questioned, knowing he would understand me.

"I believe she is too young, though in physical development it isn't abnormal behavior." Carlisle and his science, he would defend her thoughts because according to her body growth they were appropriate. At that moment Bella's thoughts pushed into my mind, along with everyone else in the room but my focus and discipline for Bella was always beyond my understanding.

_I wanted to sleep with you in High School._

"That was different." I mumbled and I heard her laugh.

_Because you didn't want me. _She thought, never removing her golden eyes from my face. I knew she was not any happier about this moment than I was, but her human experience was so recent compared to mine that she felt like she needed to remind me. It was amusing because I had a better memory of those nights with that thirst and the very longing for her body, then she did.

"I've always wanted you." I whispered.

"Are we talking about you and Bella again?" Jacob moaned.

"We are always talking about Edward and Bella." Jasper rolled his eyes at me.

_Apples don't fall far from the tree there. _He added as a thought for me and he stared at Bella and shook his head.

"Well looking at Edward and Bella," Carlisle started and I knew the conversation was going to go where Jasper's thought had just been. I braced myself preparing for the fight that would ensue because I wouldn't agree with anything that was going to be said, and I knew because I could hear all the thoughts formulating.

"Renesme is just as infatuated with Jacob as Bella was with you." Alice looked over at me sadly.

"But," I started. But Esme put her hand on my shoulder.

"We know Edward, it's not the same." She sighed; she took a long glance at Carlisle who continued for her. I twitched, hating the idea that my entire family was going to be discussing this because I could see it in Alice's mind. It was absurd that they all would take part, in what I thought should be a parental conversation between Bella, Nessie and myself. They had a point though, as I could hear loudly from Jasper that this might affect all of us and not just because we loved Nessie and tolerated Jacob. Jasper was thinking about keeping Nessie safe for a few more years, about making sure we understood her development and knew that Jacob could keep her safe from our friends in Italy. Carlisle was also worried about the safety of the their actions for themselves, not just our family. So we would have to discuss it together, no matter how much I felt like it infringed in my life.

"How do you think it's different?" Was Carlisle question and I found myself surprised. Though I heard it ringing in my head before he said it, though I heard it from all the directions because Jasper and Emmett were also mentally scoffing. Alice on the other hand was thinking about how I was so blind to understanding love until it was already to late. I glared at her and she smiled softly and shrugged at me thinking how she was right and I knew it.

"I was over a hundred years old." I said stubbornly.

"And I was 17 the first time I thought about it, and 18 when…" Bella sighed thinking back to the night when Nessie was basically conceived.

"You scored, though that little cottage still stands, pathetic." Emmett laughed. Bella threw something at Emmett's head at that point, and he of course caught it and let go of Jacob. Jacob though didn't move far, just shook himself out a bit and I heard his thoughts annoyed at the whole prospect of discussing this in the family room with everyone, again a moment we agreed.

"Didn't you lose that arm wrestling match that swore you to never talk about my sex life ever again?" Bella squinted her eyes at Emmett and I couldn't help laughing thinking about my helpless kitten with tiger like instincts.

"Well now I could talk about someone else's, I mean I don't think that Jake can be that impressive." Emmett pushed Jacob, who seemed like maybe yes he was blushing. I resisted the urge to laugh, possibly focusing more on my anger now directed at Emmett. I flew towards him and swung at his jaw, he caught my fist and laughed.

"Edward, please." Carlisle said, and I heard his disappointment.

"That might have been my fault." Jasper whispered, as he moved towards Alice. I looked at him, knowing that he had been thinking about amusing himself by riling up my anger towards Emmett.

"I didn't mean anything by it bro, but think about it. We can't keep her chaste forever." Emmett shrugged and I couldn't believe his bluntness, it was grotesquely crude.

"We could try." I mumbled grudgingly.

"Really Edward?" Jake looked at me, with those eyes that knew entirely too much of my past. Why couldn't my daughter have fallen in love with someone who hadn't been present for each of my youthful transgressions? Granted Jacob didn't know, though I think he understand, how much I had opposed hurting Bella…

"We were married." I suddenly said. I heard Bella laugh from behind me.

"I'm not sure that your condition would deter them much Edward." And I could feel her smile and I looked at Jacob.

"I would marry her, you know that. I love her." Jacob shrugged his large shoulders. _Really, you are old-fashioned man. _Jacob added mockingly, but I knew he would marry her if I required it. I was surprised how much the thought of my daughter marrying didn't cause the same type of fury. I was suddenly aware that everyone in the room was standing, tension was high and my family was waiting for me to calm down.

_Don't break another television set Edward. there is a game on tonight. _I heard Emmett plead with me, I saw myself in their eyes and I did look angry. Only Jacob saw me as something different, it was almost like he understood. I hated that the wolf and I had connected so much thru the years and it was eerie how often we were on the same page about things.

I heard my daughter ranting angrily at me from overhead, Rosalie was trying to keep her calm but was getting no where.

_Her temper is yours._ Rosalie was thinking to me. _She won't stay up here much longer. _ She added.

_I can't believe you are keeping me up here like some child. This isn't your decision Edward! _She screamed at me. I cringed, that child knew how much I hated the disrespect it showed when she called me by my name. I always felt like a terrible father every time she did it, though I knew she did it to get me to react, it just reminded me so much of how Bella had called her father Charlie and not dad. I couldn't bear to think that I did not take care of my daughter, that she had to be like Bella constantly the caretaker of her parents.

I felt so human when it came to dealing with Renesme. I feared that my only child would never have a childhood, and I felt hopeless in trying to prevent her from growing up as quickly as her mother did when her very nature was to grow quickly. It was all so frustrating, it wasn't like it had been for Esme or Carlisle who adopted us already grown children. Yes, they guided us and provided us all with guidelines but at the end of the day Carlisle rarely put his foot down. His disappointment, his hope is what steered us and Esme's constant love and encouragement. I sighed, she should be part of the discussion I didn't want to have but knew was coming. I hadn't wanted her in the room because I wanted to be calmed by my family, but discovering that wasn't going to happen there was no reason to concede having her present.

"Jake?" I said out loud at last. "Would you go get Renesme, we'll be in the dinning room."

Everyone looked at me surprised but Jacob took off up the stairs. I ignored the imploring looks and started towards the dinning room, Bella's hand was suddenly in mine and I smiled at her. She pushed her thoughts to me, and I was grateful she didn't want to speak out loud.

_We knew this was going to happen one day. _I nodded at her. I tried to push my thought to her, it was something we had been working on lately but we discovered it was harder than we had hoped. I couldn't really concentrate on pushing my thoughts to her though as everyone else's thoughts swirled in my head questioning everything.

_Control your temper. _That thought rang like surround sound in my mind and I held tightly to Bella, who always knew how to make me forget my anger. We sat down at the table, everyone in their usual spots. I sat next to Carlisle and Bella while Alice took her spot next to Bella and Jasper. Emmett plopped down forcefully next to the Jasper, waiting for Rose to take her place next to him and he leaned into Jasper playfully.

"We really can't play if Edward and Bella don't come?" He asked. I rolled my eyes, always thinking about the game. I knew underneath it all Emmett was raging with anger at Jacob, he was on my side and Rose's that she might be too young still no matter how much he joked. Renesme was hard on all of us because in our minds she was still supposed to be just a baby. Yes, we had learned to deal with many unusual things but that our only real child was slowly slipping away from us was hard to deal with.

"I wanted to win." Alice said grudgingly glaring at me. I flashed a smile at her and after a second she smiled back.

"Bribe Rose." She said.

"Bribe who? For what?" Emmett asked.

"Yes because that worked so well when you did it with me and Alice." Bella vibrated with her laughter and I put my arm around her.

"Rose could make sure she was safe." I played with Bella's loose strands of hair.

"Or that Jacob was no where near her." Jasper laughed a bit.

"But then Rose wouldn't be able to play." Emmett sighed, thinking about how she might not want him to play either.

_Edward. _Carlisle said my name mentally and I looked towards him. _Are you sure you want us all here son? _

I nodded. "I think it slightly concerns all of us. Besides I might not lose my temper, if everyone is here."

_Well thought Edward. As always. _Carlisle praised me and I shrugged uncomfortably, he was always so supportive and I couldn't help feeling like I would never measure up to him as a father. I didn't always support Nessie, recently I felt like I never supported her and her decisions. They were reckless and emotional, much like my decisions had been with Bella and Carlisle had been supportive and agreeable. Why had I not learned how to be like Carlisle as a father?

"It might be easier and cheaper to bribe Jacob." Bella looked up into my eyes, pleading me to not drive away our only daughter.

There was no time to keep discussing the matter as Renesme stormed into the room, Jacob on her heel and Rosalie gliding in after them.

"Seriously Edward!" She shouted and I coughed, trying to control my desire to shout back at her. Bella gripped my hand tightly, nestling her head into my shoulder and I concentrated on not letting my temper get out of hand. I watched Jacob flick Renesme's wrist and saw thru her own eyes how pained my face looked. She let out a resigned sigh and apologized silently in her head.

"Daddy, I don't think this is any of everyone's business." She said quieter this time, as she realized that everyone was looking at her expectedly. No one said anything at that point, it was a dramatic inhumanly type silence. I started taping my fingers on the table, without noticing my need for human time keeping. Carlisle noticed though, and I heard his thoughts in my head as he urged me to start the conversation but I didn't want to. So we stayed in silence and Carlisle smiled at me, acknowledging my stubborn nature.

Jacob and Nessie seemed to be engulfed in each other, I watched as she moved towards his body and he curved around hers. I was painfully reminded of Bella and myself, they were so much like us and I didn't understand why I was having such a problem accepting it.

I looked down at Bella and watched her body also tense as she watched them. I grinned thinking yes we were thinking the same things. So what was the difference? Maybe it was because of Jacob, I knew his mind and I knew he wasn't going to be as careful or as anything as I was. Jacob Black was impulsive and reckless and he felt emotions and was control by them there was no self-control in the actions. Then there was Nessie, so beautiful and so young. I felt like that was my problem that I didn't have enough time to adapt to her new ages before she was already past them.

Then again, I took away Bella's humanity and I still hated myself for it. Though it was clear every day that it seemed that Bella was born to be a vampire, she was as wholesome as Carlisle never drinking human blood and adapting beyond belief. Bella had been born for me and Esme believed that she had been sent to me. But I had been a monster that had tortured her in so many ways and came so close to killing her so many times. Maybe that's what I was in fear of if Jacob and Nessie were like us which one of them was the monster. Who was the lion? Who was the lamb?

"I was curious." Nessie finally whispered. I knew that Jacob had urged her to speak and I looked at him grateful again for his presence.

"That's completely natural as I explained to Edward. You are in the physical development stage where you are going to be experience curiosity and urges towards well…" Carlisle didn't finish his uncomfortable thoughts.

"It's not like you don't have any experience with that problem Bella." Jacob snickered and I clenched my fists around Bella. Before anyone else could say anything though Renesme exploded.

"Yes, who are the two of you to forbid me from anything like this! You got married just to justify your sex and then you almost killed her!" Nessie screamed at me, and I glared at Rosalie. No one had told her anything about our wedding, besides that it had happened. Had I missed it, had I missed the moment that Rosalie had shared her thoughts on what the marriage might have been about. Rosalie didn't think much about my demand of being married to Bella, while she was still human and before we would sleep together.

"We got married because your father asked me, and I wanted to be his wife forever. Protecting our virtue, I can assure you, was only secondary and mostly my fault." Bella sighed, how was it that she didn't get angry?

_Really Edward, it was about virtue? _Jacob laughed at me but when he saw the look on my face he stopped.

_Oh always the gentleman. _Esme was sighing in her mind, as she looked over at me lovingly. I rolled my eyes at my mother, leave it to her to be focused on my life rather than the situation at hand.

"I would like it if you were married, but that is not what this is about." I gritted my teeth as I spoke.

"What is the discussion at hand?" My daughter's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"I think you are too young and there are other things to consider." I started but I stopped knowing I was going to be interrupted again. I pinched the bridge of my nose; this was going to be an excruciatingly long night. Shakespeare must have had daughters to know so well the pain they put their fathers in.

"I am not too young." Nessie screamed.

"You can keep your voice down Renesme, we all have amazingly good hearing I can assure you." I threw at her.

"Your father was over a 100." Emmett provided. _Mostly cause he was a moron. _Emmett inserted his thought for me and I grimaced at him.

"But my mommy was only 18. She had just graduated high school." Nessie said, quieter this time thinking she had us.

"You haven't finished high school and at the rate your going, you might never finish." I smiled widely at her scowl. Jacob was laughing to, at my response and Nessie's naïve belief that she had me.

"Besides, if we went with my age you still have 14 years before you can do anything." Bella keep a perfectly straight face. Nessie's color seemed to drain from her face, and I could hear her fast beating heart almost slow down. Yes we had caught her in that tad bit, because although her body was old she herself was not.

"More importantly Nessie, we must give it some time. We don't know what could happen to you or Jacob, we don't want to take extra risks with you trying things before you are fully developed." Carlisle inserted.

"When will we ever know if it's safe?" Jacob questioned.

"I might be able to see it soon." Alice sighed. I could feel her annoyance at not being able to see anything yet.

"We must be faithful that Alice will soon be able to see both your futures clearly, but we must be patient children." Carlisle said determined.

_We aren't allowed to do anything. _I heard Renesme sigh and I suddenly had an idea, a bribe as a compromise might work to subdue my rebellious child.

"Jacob could build you a motorcycle, and you could learn to ride. Once your English grade comes back up of course." I looked up at Jacob expectedly.

_Nice Bribe Man, but what happens when she isn't distracted by that anymore? _Jacob asked me, I shrugged knowing we would find something else if we had to.

"You really think it might be dangerous?" Nessie asked all of us.

"It almost killed your mother." I whispered. Bella held me tightly at that point. She knew that my ghosts still haunted me as I saw her wreaked body in my mind.

"But it didn't." Nessie insisted.

"Only because your father was strong enough to save her. But we have no idea what might happen with you, or worse with Jacob." Rosalie spoke the words but I was surprised. It was so unlike her to care for others like this, but ever since Renesme had been born it seemed that Rose was less self centered. But with her words I saw she thought that it might be Nessie, as the monster, not Jacob.

"No babysitting though?" Nessie was demanding again.

"Well…" I started.

"I can be just as self controlled as you were bloodsucker." Jacob grinned at me, and I knew he was sincere in his thoughts.

"Love is about compromise." Bella mumbled into my side and I laughed.

"What team am I on?" I asked Alice.

"The winning team." She smiled at me, I felt relaxed again with my family around me. As awkward as it might be to discuss this tender subject with my daughter and my entire family, it might have been easier. Nessie was not a normal teenager, and things could not happen in a normal manner. We had to come to terms with that, from the moment she had been born my entire family knew everything in her mind because she shared it.

"Don't some of you have class tonight?" Esme asked suddenly.

"Yes well we've been occupied." I responded.

"You aren't going to class?" Nessie looked at me with her wide eyes and I groaned, why must the women of my life be so trying.

"Of course we are." Bella responded as she stood up. I looked alarmed at her and then around the room, falling on Alice winking at me.

_I will take care of her, don't worry so much._ She thought to me and then I heard Jacob above her.

_I won't try anything, come on I have more sense than that. _And I laughed, doubting that he did.

"Always responsible." Nessie scoffed as I bent down to kiss her on the head.

"We have to be good examples for our little girl." I laughed. I wanted to hold her in my arms, carry her upstairs with Bella and just watch her sleep like we had just a few years before when she was a baby. I knew she wouldn't stand for it though, so I settled with holding Bella tightly, who never objected to letting me protect her.


	4. Calm

**4. Calm**

Bella

_They walked on, without knowing in what direction. There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said, for attention to any other objects. – Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen_

Emmett's jeep came to a halt far to quickly and I couldn't help but think I still hated the speed at which all the Cullen's drove. I might hate it now for different reasons than I did when I was human, because now I hated it for I did not have time to just dwell in Edward's lap and enjoy us without our current pressures.

Edward was stroking my hair, each of his fingers delicately twisting my individual strands. None of us made much effort to move, not even Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper who also sat in the car.

"Someone once told me it was healthy to ditch class sometimes." I said to no one in particular.

"I should let Nessie know your advice." Rosalie snarled at me a bit. I knew she didn't mean it. It was sometimes amusing how much Rose had changed and how much she hadn't. She was extremely overprotective, mostly obnoxious when it came to Nessie but I let her be and often had to hold Edward back. If it wasn't for Rose after all, I'm not sure that Nessie would exist at all. My baby had two sets of parents, Edward and I and Rose and Emmett, we didn't mind sharing most of the time.

"Its only healthy when there was blood typing I meant." Edward sighed at me, shaking his head. I knew he was thinking that obviously our daughter gained most of her traits from me.

"You don't seem worried?" Jasper asked. I looked at him, loving the perplexing that I always caused him.

"Jazz there are so many things to worry about. I don't think our emotions can really concentrate well you know?" I laughed.

"That or Bella can't ever stop thinking about Edward long enough for anything else to be a strong enough emotion." Emmett laughed.

"Edward does it too." Jasper playful pushed at Edward. Edward wrapped his arm around me, as delicately as if I were still human, and sat me up.

"To class then, or might you set a bad example for your only daughter?" He challenged me, his eyes looking amused.

"Didn't you complain about how much Rose and I were always looking at each other lovingly?" Emmett jumped out of his jeep and I shook my head.

"What are we even discussing in our class today?" I whined ignoring Emmett's taunting.

"Austen, you're favorite my love." Edward held out his hand to me, as I slid carefully to the ground from the jeep. Always with his manners, I had accepted long ago now that I was Edward's damsel.

"And I once said that Edward didn't feel about anyone like I did about Alice." Jasper shook his head, as Edward caught me in his arms and we spun around a bit romantically.

"That was before, when we thought that Bella was a threat." Rosalie laughed.

"When you two wanted to kill her? See, aren't you glad we kept her. So much entertainment in such a small package." Emmett ruffled my hair a bit as he passed, Rosalie in arm. Jasper rolled his eyes and winked at me as he walked towards the Political Science building on campus.

Edward and I walked quietly towards our building. I smiled as I felt Edward shift his weight, he wanted my thoughts and he was getting impatient.

"Why don't you just ask?" I said calmly. Edward's hand tightened.

"Sometimes I have patience." He laughed at me, the nervous laugh he had when he was trying to be better for me. Edward felt that I had been sent to him to try his patience, to make him better. I tried to persuade him that he made me better by just being with me, and I didn't understand why I couldn't do the same with him without all his silly notions of self-control and chivalry. It was a pointless fight, Alice told me, it was Edward to be slightly over-dramatic tortured soul but at least he was happier now.

"What are you thinking?" He demanded finally. A grin crept on my face, as we reached the door to our lecture hall.

"Well now if we weren't going to class, we could find a meadow somewhere to discuss our thoughts for the rest of the evening…" I started but he shook his head.

"Oh Bella, must I always be the responsible one?" He asked me. I nodded winking at him.

"You promised forever." I walked into the room and he followed. We sat down towards the back of the large hall, where we tried to stay out of the way but still could be noticed present and normal. We arrive right on time, as the tiny professor Hopkins stood demanding attention at the front of the room. I focused because I could not read the professor's mind like Edward when she asked questions so I had to try to pay attention. I also was still intrigued by the knowledge being presented and even Edward admitted literature was different and new, even for him. I might also be paying attention to drive him a little crazy, he wanted my thoughts but he also wanted us to be in class, I was almost daring him to choose.

"Within Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice _we see how relationships were viewed in Victorian society." Professor Hopkins started. "There are important themes of love, courtship and reputation explored does anyone have any thoughts about these subjects, examples of why they are still so profound in today's society?"

I watched as some sophomore in the front row, an overly eager Eric type shot their hand into the air. Of course Hopkins took notice immediately and nodded towards her, and I almost laughed at the way classes varied so much in college compared to high school. I did not know how I was going to stand going back to high school again in the next town, but I knew I would endure with Edward by my side.

"Aren't today's couples also faced with many of the same obstacles? I mean I am sure we would like to think of ourselves passed the idea of being prejudice towards a man who is rude, or being to proud to date someone with less money than us but are we really? It's a love story about people who love each other, but don't think they should." The girl kept speaking but I looked over at Edward, and I couldn't help myself as I pushed my thoughts to him.

_Sounds familiar. _I said simply, it took a lot of energy still for me to push my thoughts to him. It was something Carlisle and I had discussed and believed that it might get easier over time, but I shouldn't over try myself before I was ready. Edward's eyebrows shot up and he wrote carefully on his piece of paper in front of him, that he pushed towards me.

_Was I the pride or the prejudice? _He wrote in his fancy script, that still made my stopped heart feel like it skipped a beat. I scrawled, my writing still terribly ugly next to his but he did have a hundred more years to practice fancy writing.

_I think the prejudice. _I wrote quickly, _you were of course against my being human. Sort of like class but you know not quite. _

His eyes laughed at me, as he took the paper from me again.

_So you were the pride, guilty of having a good impression of me at first. Even though I tried so hard to as Mr. Darcy a louse the first time you met me? _I nodded at him and then snapped my attention again towards Hopkins who had just spoken my name.

"Isabella, what do you think of the idea of reputation is it similar to today's?" He asked me. I smiled at Edward, who I knew had been hoping I was caught without an answer. But I had re-read the novel this morning, before our frantic evening.

"I believe professor, that it might worse today. Before a girl's reputation might be ruined if she ran off with a man, but that might at least end in probable marriage maybe even away from prying eyes. But today a woman can be slandered without running away, possibly without any evidence at all, except for thoughts." I shrugged. Edward tensed beside me as I knew he would.

"Don't you think that maybe even thoughts are dangerous?" I heard him whisper in inhumanly volume to me.

"More so professor, isn't there something to be said about the fact that Austen seems to convey to her audience that Lydia wanted to, if not insisted to run off and not that she was seduced?" I asked. The professor nodded, taking my words to heart and turning to question someone else. Edward stared at me in disbelief. He wrote down on the note.

_Do you think I over reacted?_ He looked pained for a second and I shook my head.

_No, but I don't think you should blame Jacob and occasionally I fear you do. _I wrote down.

_Not entirely. I can hear her thoughts you know. _He wrote almost as I was finishing my thought. We sat there for a moment before he returned to his first desire.

_What are you thinking? _He insisted, always wanting to know my mind.

_What are you thinking? _I wrote back. He shook his head smiling at me.

_He loves her. She loves him. _He wrote clearly. I waited for more on his thoughts, but he had stopped and I got aggravated.

_How it must feel to have someone let you love them from the beginning? _I wrote, I knew I was going to hurt him with the comment but I was annoyed. Sometimes Edward was so stubborn in his thoughts, I knew he was relating our daughter and Jacob to our relationship but the clearest difference was that they didn't fight their love. He remained silent the rest of the lecture, that lasted another thirty minutes. I tried not to think about if I had angered him or not, but instead focusing on the responses to the discussion. There was a raging war between a junior level boy named Henry and the overly eager sophomore in the front about who's choice it was to love in Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship. The Junior was fighting that Darcy had made the decision to love Elizabeth, and she had been seduced by him while the sophomore felt it was more Elizabeth that had made the choice.

"Maybe neither of them made a choice at all. Maybe because they tried so relentlessly to choose not to love each other, they were just denying themselves, trying not to succumb to such a raw emotion that could control them to act outside of their society." Edward had spoken right before the period ended. The professor, of course, praised his response and I was just shocked. I looked over at him thinking him still as beautiful and breathe-taking as the first moment I had seen him. His eyes were golden, well feed, as we had hunted the night before and his hair stood on its ends like he had been asleep before we had come. When I knew it was just that his hand had tampered with his golden mane once too many times during his frustration in our frantic discussion at home. I was admiring him, my every thought about him as he leaned down and whispered in my ear.

"Am I dazzling you?" I could feel his lips curl into a smile.

"I should have never told you that you could." I laughed.

"Yes, well denying it Miss Elizabeth won't make it less true." He laughed at me as he grabbed my notebook, motioning to carry them while offering me his arm. Yes my Edward was so old fashioned.

"Are you worried about her?" He finally asked me.

"Each moment of the day." I responded quickly. He knew I was, just as I knew he was, but we couldn't let our worry control our every action.

"This is a phase?" He asked again, hoping I would know my daughter's heart.

"I'm not sure it is one she will grow out of." I shrugged. "I didn't."

He was quiet, thinking about me, or at least I thought he might be. Often times, I knew he was regretting so many things about our relationship. But I couldn't let him regret for long, he would tear himself apart for no reason but his moral pride.

"Edward?" I nudged his well-sculpted chest with my cheek, expecting him to speak.

"Do you know she believes that they were created for each other?" He smiled at me.

"We were." I responded.

"We were." He nodded. "She thinks that they are so different, they connect. In color she thinks they blend, and even their vastly different heart beats amuse her."

I laughed. Yes Nessie would concentrate on their differences being what brought them together. She was such a one-of-a-kind that she would want someone to be just as unusual as she was.

"Maybe you should write her a symphony, like my lullaby or the song you wrote for Esme and Carlisle?" I suggested, music always helped Edward think and I couldn't help but think it would thrill Renesme if he father wrote her a song.

"Jacob can't live forever." Edward finally whispered.

"I'm not sure that Nessie can either." I sighed back. It was something we didn't often speak about, but we both knew in our hearts that it might be true.

"If she does, I don't think I could bear her have a broken heart. I broke your heart and I was too much of a coward to see what it did to you. But the images that Jacob remembers, when he fears he might do the same to Nessie…" Edward couldn't finish his thought.

"You didn't think you were breaking my heart, Jacob will not do it on purpose." I could feel my hold tightening on Edward. It was as if my body felt him trying to leave me again, and I wouldn't allow it to happen ever again.

"We don't know if he can live forever." Edward repeated.

"And Carlisle is not sure that Nessie can either, we will see what happens Edward. We will deal with what we must, together. But they are still so young and we still have time. Possibly another hundred years or more." I smiled at him.

"I can't lose her now." Edward looked down at me sadly.

"We won't." I insisted.

"Jacob wants to take her away." He pressed. We were at the car now, leaning against the door waiting for Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper to get out of their respective classes.

"He won't until we are ready, Jacob doesn't want to take her away from her family just yet. But when he does Edward, she has to grow up sometime. She can more than we can, you know that." I shushed his concerns, that were mine as well but I could live consoled that we had each other and that Nessie would always come back to us.

"And what happens when she does finally…" Edward looked at me.

"What are you worried about?" I asked sighing.

"What if they hurt each other?" He whispered.

"Are you afraid for Renesme or Jacob?" I mused his concern. He shrugged his shouldered and hunched back into the jeep.

"They are both good Edward, you were my angel." I sighed, running my hand thru his hair quietly soothing his fears.

"And what if they have a child?" Jasper said from behind us. "Have we thought of that, Aro was forgiving to us, but more half-breeds?"

"No, we must not allow more reason for them to come after Nessie." Edward growled.

"We will teach her to be careful. They must protect themselves, above all." I nodded.

"We have time." Jasper nodded stiffly, as Emmett and Rosalie came back to the car. The car ride back, was not very eventful. We were all quiet deep in thought, about our lives and loves, and our family.

When we arrived home, my heart ached to see Nessie and by the speed in which Edward got out of the car I could only assume that he did as well. We entered the family room, Carlisle sat studying papers and reading letters from our friends like Nessie in South America. Carlisle had been charting their development, and their lives in order to try to figure patterns and advancements to understanding Nessie. Esme was sitting near him, looking in a home design magazine trying to gain ideas in how to decorate the house for Christmas. Alice sat on her computer designing what looked suspiciously like clothing for me, though I hoped she didn't think I was going to wear those pastel colors.

On the couch was Jacob, with Nessie who seemed to have fallen asleep with her notebook in hand.

"She finished most of it." Jacob grinned at me and I smiled back. I was glad to have the best of my worlds in this room, the family I had wanted since I met and a best friend that had known me my entire life.

"She was very well behaved." Alice smiled at me, before turning back to her work. Jasper had walked over to her and now was looking over her shoulder, giving her pointers on the cut of the sleeves.

"Jacob. Don't let them take me." Nessie was struggling in her sleep and she clutched to Jacob tightly. I knew what her dreams were of, often times, she had nightmares still about that night only a few years back when she had been a baby. When I had planned for her to run off with Jacob, to be protected and safe and loved always by my goofy wolf of a best friend.

I held Edward's hand, holding him from running to her. I knew she wanted Jacob, it was sad, that I had gotten to be needed by my child for so little but that was life. I had once had dreams like that, where I searched for Edward and when he had not been there it had been heart breaking so I couldn't bear to remove her from Jacob yet tonight. Edward, felt my pain and he led me to the piano where he pushed me to sit next to him. I watched him, his nimble fingers, always so perfect, stride along the keys.

He played the familiar notes of my lullaby and I placed my hands on his. I let him guide my fingers along the familiar keys, I knew how to play my own lullaby now he had taught me but I refused. That song was one he would always have to play for me and he knew it.

At the end of the melody, where the song always ended on a bitter note because he still to this day refused to change it, is where our fingers floated for a while. Playing the sad note repeatedly for a few minutes, before all of sudden he shook my hands off of his. He took to playing different keys and it was a different melody all together.

He played notes that didn't usually go together, two very different musical harmonies blending into one and I knew what he was doing. He was writing their song, Jacob and Renesme, I knew he was hoping to calm our frantically sleeping child with song. When she had been our baby, that first year, how many times had I caught him singing her to sleep whispering in her ear?

I closed my eyes, knowing sleep would not come but feeling safe and at home. He stopped playing and I felt someone nudge at me, that wasn't Edward. Renesme had woken up and was trying to push her way into the middle of Edward and I on the piano bench.

"Teach me." She demanded. But Edward only laughed and shook his head.

"It's not finished princess." He sighed, as he quickly spun around to catch her in his arms.

"And besides, look at how tired you look you will never stay awake for your classes tomorrow. High school can be tedious." He joked as he cradled her in his body. I stood up, knowing we would be descending the stairs in a moment.

"I'm not tired." She yawned into him.

"Sure you are not princess." He laughed. The three of us climbed the stairs, Edward heading towards Nessie's room. I opened the door, gliding into the fancy little tower room of the house. Rose and Alice had gone a tad bit overboard in her room, it truly looked like a princess' cambers.

Edward put her down gently onto the bed, I moved to kiss her on the forehead.

"Mommy?' She whispered.

"Yes?" I hung over her head ever so slightly, Edward's arms still underneath her.

"Daddy?" She added.

"You are tired." Edward said firmly, he must hear her denying her sleep mentally.

"Might you stay, help me sleep." She mumbled the last part. Edward whispered in my ear.

"So much like her mother." At the words, he slipped his arms from under her and softly put himself on the bed next to her. I placed my body on the other side of her, where she found my arm and pulled it around her and then she mumbled incoherently.

"Yes, yes, a song then princess. But try to sleep." Edward soothed her and I looked at him, waiting for him to hum my familiar tune. But he didn't instead he hummed the new song that he had started composing down stairs. I felt Nessie relax in my arms, I watched her breathing slow and I knew she had fallen asleep in minutes.

"Bella?" Edward said to me. I looked at him, in the darkness and I could still see him clearly. Everything about him, from his golden eyes to his perfect body, to his soft touch and strong soul were mine forever.

"Yes?" I whispered back.

"I miss watching you sleep." He smiled at me.

"I don't need sleep anymore, you are always with me and that's all I ever dreamed about." I smiled back at him. Then he started to hum my song for me and I watched his face, never removing my arm from Nessie and knowing that even though I would have the rest of forever I would never have another moment like this.

~THE END~


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